1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming system, an image forming method and a computer-readable medium.
2. Description of Related Art
In earlier development, a technique to convert a user ID (identification), telephone number and the like (hereinafter referred to as a data) to a coded image of a barcode and to record the barcode to a recording paper has been known. On the recording paper of the same sheet, manuscript information described in characters or the like is also included. For example, direct mails, accounts of utility bill and product stickers on which serial numbers are printed are known.
The above-described data and manuscript information are formed in an input apparatus such as a PC (personal computer) or the like. Hereinafter, a combination of the data and manuscript information are referred to as print information. The formed print information is sent to an image forming apparatus, and printed on a recording paper. As for the image forming apparatus, a digital copier, printer, facsimile and the like are known (for example, see JP 08-154177A).
However, in the above-described earlier developments, the print information was transmitted from the input apparatus to the image forming apparatus every time printing was performed on a recording paper. That is, when plural printings of same manuscript information and different data are performed, print information having different barcode was formed and transmitted from the input apparatus to the image forming apparatus in each printing. Thus, the transmission of the information was inefficient.
In the case where the data is shared between the input apparatus and the image forming apparatus, when the data is to be changed, it was necessary to operate both of the input apparatus and the image forming apparatus to change the data. That is, it has been problematic that considerable work of a user is required for data management.